Newsletter

Posted January 3, 2014 06:08 pm - Updated January 4, 2014 12:12 am

Faith briefs

HAVANA

Cuban followers of the Santeria faith beat sacred drums, sacrificed animals and sang ceremonial songs in the Yoruba tongue Monday to give thanks for the year’s blessings and ask for prosperity in 2014.

About 200 believers and onlookers thronged Havana’s most important market, Cuatro Caminos, for the ceremony dedicated to Eshu-Elegbara, the deity associated with markets and commerce, and also protector of the universe.

In a central courtyard at the market, people sprayed rum from their mouths at a 2-foot-tall cement-and-stone statue of Eshu-Elegbara, crowned with spiral shells. At its base, they left offerings of coconut, watermelon, candy and flowers.

Two goats and two roosters were slaughtered, and their blood used to bathe the icon.

Cuban Santeria is a syncretic faith mixing Catholicism and African traditions that were brought here long ago by slaves. It is the island’s principal religion, with millions of followers.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

Bill Nye “The Science Guy” is set to visit Kentucky next month for a debate on science and creation with the man who founded the Creation Museum.

Founder Ken Ham wrote on his Facebook page that the museum will host Nye, the former host of a popular youth science show, on Feb. 4.

Nye has been critical of creationists for their opposition to evolution and asserting that the Old Testament is a literal account of the Earth’s beginnings. Last year in an online video that drew nearly 6 million views, Nye said teaching creationism was bad for children.

The video prompted a response video from the Creation Museum, and Ham later challenged him to a debate.

The event will be titled “Is Creation A Viable Model of Origins?” The museum is planning to charge admission.

STOCKHOLM

Swedish police have opened a hate-crime investigation after swastikas were spray-painted on the entrance of a mosque in downtown Stockholm.

Omar Mustafa, the head of Sweden’s Islamic federation, said employees discovered the vandalism as they arrived to open the mosque Thursday morning. He posted pictures of the graffiti on Twitter.

Mustafa said the mosque is targeted by hate mail or vandalism about twice a month, but this is the first time the entrance was defaced with swastikas since the mosque was built in 2000.

FAYETTE, Mo.

A Missouri high school is holding prayer sessions on school grounds despite a legal complaint that claims the sessions are unconstitutional.

Fayette Schools Superintendent Tamara Kimball said district administrators haven’t considered ending the Friday morning sessions since the American Humanist Association filed a complaint in November. The district doesn’t believe it has done anything wrong by allowing the Fellowship of Christian Students to conduct the sessions, she said.

The complaint was filed by the humanist association, a student and a parent of a former Fayette student, The Columbia Daily Tribune reported. It seeks to end the prayer sessions and “any similar illegal activity,” as well as damages from the defendants.